Hey road bicycle people... I gots a question

Rule 58 is a must.

 

Something else, I've yet to go to a shop and them not match if not come close to online prices. I think people assume they're gonna get screwed at a shop, both my local bicycle shops are awesome and are happy to help out.

 

I have a Bianchi SL3 reparto corse and Campy components. The frame is alumiumn and the forks are carbon.

Ride does not see harsh to me.

My favorite was my LeMond on Durace but it got jacked.

 

Two words: Carbon Fiber

If you're gonna spend time in the saddle.... you'll be glad you did!

If limited riding & short distances.... aluminum is good. And cheaper.

You know me. I'm a cheapy! When I started looking.... it was aluminum's with a carbon fork. Everyone said.... carbon.

Test road the two, and my cheap ass spent the additional cost for the full carbon! . Ended up with a good deal at local bike shop on a Cannondale SuperSix 6 with SRAM Apex components

Call Lato!

 

Do not get this bike. I have worked in a bicycle shop for several years and trust me this is not a good deal. Don't believe the ad because this bike is nothing like the Specialized Roubaix. Like others have said the shifting components are not very good. $550 for a 6 year old Aluminum frame bike is too much. This bike is very heavy for a road bike as well.

 

Who cares? I believe the op said he was just working out. It looks like it has those little hard tires, like race bike. Why would you "train" on that if you're not racing? Anyway, just get something that fits.

My wife "trains" on a twenty year old steel Trek that has umpteen thousand miles on it. She has a carbon race bike but you can't exactly ride around town on that.

 

Think about the fact that you will have the bike for awhile. If it fits well and rides well you will be more likely to ride more. Before I donated my old steel frame to a Junior program, I had ridden it for about 20 years. 10 or so of those years I was racing or doing Tri's and riding nearly every day. That frame probably had over 50,000 miles on it. Cost per mile ends up being pretty low it you ride regularly and keep the bike for a few years.

 

funny stuff...I'm in violation of more than a few of those rules

 

He should care because it is not a good quality bike FOR THAT PRICE. You can get whatever level of bike you want. I was just telling the OP he will overpay for this particular bike because it is much heavier and less advanced than other used bikes in that price range.

 

:up:

 

Fwiw. A couple years ago, for my wife I got Treks best carbon frame bike with Duraace components for $1150 used(craigslist). I think retail was $5000+.

 

I am the same height and have the same inseam as you have. I ride a 58cm in my Blue cross/trail/mudder bike, and a 57cm in my Masi Coltello TT and track bikes. All of the bikes have lots of seat post showing and my stems are anywhere from 90-120mm in length. Funny thing is, I don't own a "road" bike because I don't race road courses and criteriums. I own two race bikes, because that's what I race, and then I have a cross bike that I switch wheels on, depending on what surface I do my longer training rides on.

Think about the kind of riding you will be doing and the riding position you will be using the most. Will you be riding on the hoods, above the hoods, or on the top of the bars? I'm assuming you won't be riding much on the drops. Are you fairly flexible, or will you need a more upright riding position? Do you tend to sit behind, over, or in front of the bottom bracket? Do you like to "push" a bigger gear or spin a smaller one? All of these riding technique preferences affect your bike set up and could affect your frame size choice by a couple of cm.

Bikes are sized by their seat tube length; however (and I like this system better), some people are considering the top tube length to be as important if not more so. Especially with compact frame designs, your actual seat tube length could be much shorter than your top tube length.

So, like others have posted, go see what your bike shop has to offer for the kind of riding you plan on doing. I think you will be looking at something between 57 and 59 cm, although you could probably go with a 60 cm, too. But I will be surprised if you are fitted at 56 or smaller.

 

I've got a one year old Madone 5.5 that will be for sale once the guy that bought it returns it too me -- scratches in the paint he didn't like. For $1500.00 he coulda painted the whole damn thing and come out ahead. Anyway, I'm 6' and it's a 56.

Good overall condition with one nasty paint chip that has been covered by auto paint to keep it from peeling on the top tube. Very comfortable bike. Used it for training and light racing from 10/2011 to 2/2013.

It'll fit you. I promise....



http://wible.smugmug.com/Other/Madone-55/28086212_Bc525V

Seriously, it'll be back on the market as soon as I get it back provided he didn't do anything to it. I'm throwing it on CL unless some moran on here wants it. Pure violation of classifieds policy and I'll remove this post if I need to.

 

My wife had one of those. Amazingly heavy for aluminum. She had a shitty group on it and I was never happy with the shifting. I'd look for something else.

 

You should check the size first IMO

 

what is people Motorcyclist always look for a super awesome deal no?

 

It all depends on where you ride, the road surface and your personal preference. I am a recreational road rider (my fav is mountain biking) and I ride for fun and fitness. I had a carbon bike (Kona Zing Supreme) which was a good carbon frame/fork with Ultegra build. I used it for two years but it was a bit twitchy and the ride was harsh for my liking over anything but the smoothest pavement. Like in the moto world, sometimes stiffer is not better.

I demo'd a Breezer Venturi which is a hydro-formed steel frame and between the inherent damping of steel and Ultegra tubeless set up I was (and still am) in heaven. Its every bit as "fast" as the carbon Kona but I can spend twice as long or double the miles in the saddle. When I stand up and mash the bottom bracket isn't quite as stiff as the Kona but it's not anything that is going to inhibit an out of the saddle sprint or climb. FWIW, both bikes fit me well.

Don't get hung up on what the bike is made from, rather ride it and buy the bike that feels right. Its also my opinion that a good shop will perform a fit for you with your purchase. Something else to consider is that until you spend a few thousand miles or more in the saddle you really wont really know what you "like".

 

Dits, given your measurements and seeing pics (not the nudes) of you, we appear about the same size. I stepped down from a 58 to a 56 last year and will never look back. I actually got fitted and apparently my legs measured for a 60cm, but my upper body for a 56cm, so I decided to go down because I was so stretched out on the 58. There are so many factors that you really just need to get fit.

 

I think I may be like you. Everything I have read says I should be a 56cm. But I cant seem to get my bike right (used cannondale bike I got for $150 ). Feels too long front to back. I need a pro fitting, but I bet I end up like you, the legs need one thing, but body/arms needs another. I say that because most of my coworkers who are same height (5,9"ish) have to move my truck seat up to drive.

but I am too cheap to spend the money to be fitted